What would YOU guys do with this S13?

[youcancallmedrew]

Hey guys, I've been reading this forum for yeeeears now, and this is my very first post. I guess it belongs here, not really sure.

So I've had this car (a 1992 S13 hatchback) for about a month now, and I don't think I've seen a week without a problem yet. Here's a list of the pros and cons, all jumbled up.


-Flat black paint, dent in rear left quarter panel
-Kouki 180sx tail lights (trunk dun open)
-Pignose front end
-300 ZX brakes
-TEIN adjustable coilover suspension
-Megan racing exhaust (3" test pipe?? SO loud.)
-S13 blacktop SR20DET with 40-50k miles
-Circuit Sports FPR
-" " FMIC
-New Koyo radiator, ugly ass cracked overflow reservoir
-Genuine HKS SSQV BOV ---> venting
-T25 turbo, HKS mushroom air filter
-Stock S13 E5 ECU
-Fuel pump unknown, been keeping up just fine. Likely a Walbro 255
-18" Sportmaxx whatever wheels, charcoal color. Would look better on a BMW
-Momo steering wheel missing two screws, fixin' to fall off if I don't pay attention and screw dat shiett back in
-Wired 10" subwoofer and 1,000 watt (or 2,000, whatever) amp
-SONY in dash CD player/radio/aux in
-None of this is presently connected properly, if at all
-Stereo wiring ALLLLLL up in the cabin
-Unknown brand "racing" driver seat, looking kinda old
-Original S13 passenger seat with two large cigarette burns probably dated 1999
-Some janky looking, barely functional mickey mouse wiring (more on this later)
-CRACKED dash, mexican looking red AC vents (this is confirmed, I have a mexican friend)
-JDM cluster in KP/H only, tach reads a 7.5k redline
-Door panels make noise and window switches are slightly loose
-SR motor has phenomenal compression, also no leaks
-Disconnected/rerouted manual boost controller (underneath hood release? WTF?)
-Tuned for 12 PSI, running stock 7

So I bought this car on a Friday. On Friday the brake master cylinder went out (like completely), and in an emergency I had Pep Boys install one, bleed brakes etc. Everything seemed great, I was in boost heaven. Later in the day I go over a bump at WOT and I suddenly have a very expensive paper weight. Car won't start no matter what. I tow the car to a local mechanic (who has never seen an SR, and can't stop telling me it's not the original motor). The man "fixes" the loose ECU ground wire by Sunday, and sends me on my merry way. Three tires, two oil changes, a BIG ass rock and a welded intercooler later, this car sits immobile on my street.

In the major fuse box to the left of the motor, the EGI Pump relay is sitting at a twisted angle, and the latch to the green fuse is broken. It won't stay in place so well, and if you tap it on the side the fuel pump cuts out. This means that with my RETARDED STIFF suspension, simply going over a Los Angeles pot hole or crack in the street can cause my engine to die. It happens once a day, and I've gotten used to driving with latex gloves on. All I do is get out, tap the fuse back into place once, and I'm good to go again. Was very scary at first, but now I have a better idea of what's going on.

That's problem number one. Problem number two is this.

I knew they were on the way out and should have changed them, but didn't. Clutch master (and or) slave cylinders are not functioning at all right now. Mechanic told me it was time about two weeks ago. Reservoir was empty, so I filled it and was able to drive home from work pretty well. Now I couldn't get it into first, even if I had the strength to force it. Not that I would want to destroy my transmission or anything.

I know changing these cylinders is a relatively easy two man job, but I have neither the second man nor a jack to prop up this POS, and even once I have a driveable car again I have this retard wiring to deal with.

I'm running out of cash quickly, and have little time to work on this car. What would you guys do? I'm in about $6,000 already with everything and can't really afford to spend more.

Do you guys see a potential light at the end of the tunnel with a car like this, or would you in all likelihood ditch it? I've been pondering a pre-made wiring harness, but I'm not installing it myself (otherwise I've defeated the purpose of fixing the wiring) and I'd reckon it'd be another $250 on top of that $350 or whatever for the harness.

Then I still need to smog it.

Then I need to fit a resonator so I'm not setting off car alarms everywhere I go.

Then I need to adjust the suspension so it doesn't shake my wiring and steering wheel loose.

There's also this. Last night I was coming home from a friend's house around 2:45 AM. She called me around the time I got home to tell me that her neighbors had called the police on my car, and that FIVE minutes after I left there were cop cars, a tow truck and a muffukin' CHOPPER IN THE SKY to haul my car to the impound lot. If my clutch cylinders had gone out last night and not this morning, I would have been out $6k.

The car is fast, and before I disconnected the MBC it could have kept up with a Ferrari in the canyons with no problem. But like a tire salesman told me, when I've had enough fun I'll probably end up tossing the keys over a fence to somebody and telling them to take it.

So guys? Keep it, fix it slowly, and be poor all the time or sell it at a big ole loss and get an FF corolla?

[SomeoneWhoIsntMe]

it's really too bad a clutch master is about $15 and a slave is another whole $10 on top of that.

plus, it's not like the fusebox comes apart or anything, and you definitely can't find S13 fuseboxes in pick-and-pull yards for piss cheap.

you'd better just scrap it.

just make sure you make a thread about it first.

[xh3nry]

Damn the neighbors are such pricks, i would say to keep it and commit to it.

[Sileighty_85]

If you have little to no mechanical experience and little to limited funds and need a reliable DD I'd sell it for a reliable car.

[Tearlessj]

Throw it away.

[Rut Ro]

Concentrate on what's important now. Cool car that gives you headaches or reliable daily that can get you back and forth to a job that will be able to help you save for another one. Just my two cents. Cheers mate.

[wangan_cruiser]

Originally Posted by Sileighty_85

If you have little to no mechanical experience and little to limited funds and need a reliable DD I'd sell it for a reliable car.

i agree with this guy

[eek]

^^^ Agreed. You could always LEARN how to work on your own car by reading all the info on here and the wonderful internet.

[youcancallmedrew]

Thanks for the helpful comments... that is, half of you!

For the other half, I'll continue to bury my head in the sand in hopes of finding a solution to my wiring and mechanical problems (DEFINITELY not interested in learning anything), and when I get a moment I'll fly my pigeon over to Sun Valley for a twenty year old fusebox from a twenty year old car.

[Croustibat]

French guys call that a "merguez", thats spiced sausage made by using every leftover found lying around, and adding strong spice to mask the "flavor" .

Basically you need to change (forget sorting) every loom and various electric boxes to solve electrical issues. Then you need to sort everything else.

Unless you really are motivated (and it looks like you have had enough), it will break down all the time. But whatever happens, it will cost a lot of money to fix. Even by doing it all by yourself, stripping the car and fixing everything will surely cost at least half of what you already paid for it, and thats not including tools.

You bought an overpriced hyped car. Sell it, and if you really want one that works, buy another one ... just make sure it works correctly this time.

i am afraid there is no cheap way out of this ...

[SomeoneWhoIsntMe]

I'll give you $900 cash for the car, fly to cali with a fusebox and some tools, order a clutch master and slave off rockauto shipped to your house, air bleed that slut in your driveway, and drive it home to Detroit.

[hotlavaflow]

Iit doesn't sound that bad to me but I don't live in CA I'm in NY and neighbors know better than to go in like that. The problems are easily fixed if you do some research.

The 4th is coming up go to sears get a craftsman tool set on sale and get a racing jack from harbor freight w/ jack stands and learn.

As for smogging I can't help with that but get the exhaust taken care of to avoid issues.

If you have questions feel free to PM me and I'll help with what I can.

[!Zar!]

What would YOU guys do with this S13?

Sell it .

[Okinawandrifter87]

Originally Posted by Sileighty_85

If you have little to no mechanical experience and little to limited funds and need a reliable DD I'd sell it for a reliable car.

This guy speaks the truth.

[KOUKIboy]

Sounds like you bought someone's UNFINISHED project, which is never a good idea because you don't know what people have done to the car, the homemade car stereo wire up etc.. My advise is part the car out, get most of your money back, the car has good parts, SR, Tein Coils, Kouki tail lights, Z32 brakes, or stick with it, you've already spent all this time and money on it, there's some members on here who specialize on electrical, contact them and see if they can help you out with all the wiring that needs to be cleaned up... Good luck....

[hotlavaflow]

Post pics of it

[fliprayzin240sx]

Originally Posted by KOUKIboy

Sounds like you bought someone's UNFINISHED project, which is never a good idea because you don't know what people have done to the car, the homemade car stereo wire up etc.. My advise is part the car out, get most of your money back, the car has good parts, SR, Tein Coils, Kouki tail lights, Z32 brakes, or stick with it, you've already spent all this time and money on it, there's some members on here who specialize on electrical, contact them and see if they can help you out with all the wiring that needs to be cleaned up... Good luck....

More like somebody else's headache. Sounds like the whole car is gerry-rigged as fuck. I second this motion, part the car out, maybe keep the SR, get an unfucked S13, and transfer the SR over. Electrical shit is the worst thing to unfuck on a car.

[youcancallmedrew]

Okay, now some good ideas are rolling in. Perhaps purchasing a jack and ordering the master/slave online won't be so painful after all. Beats AAA-ing it over to the local mechanic and paying $150 for him to replace the pumps, and another $150 to re-gerry-rig my wiring.

What's a headache/project like this worth to those of you who have the time and cash to make this thing pretty?

SomeoneWhoIsntMe may want to consider my offer of taking his girlfriend (and or mother) on top of his $900 in trade. Or perhaps taking a SWIM in a bathtub with a sheet of LSD and a toaster.

[youcancallmedrew]

Originally Posted by Croustibat

French guys call that a "merguez", thats spiced sausage made by using every leftover found lying around, and adding strong spice to mask the "flavor" .

Basically you need to change (forget sorting) every loom and various electric boxes to solve electrical issues. Then you need to sort everything else.

Unless you really are motivated (and it looks like you have had enough), it will break down all the time. But whatever happens, it will cost a lot of money to fix. Even by doing it all by yourself, stripping the car and fixing everything will surely cost at least half of what you already paid for it, and thats not including tools.

You bought an overpriced hyped car. Sell it, and if you really want one that works, buy another one ... just make sure it works correctly this time.

i am afraid there is no cheap way out of this ...

By far the most well thought-out (read: PRODUCTIVE) response I've read thus far. I tip my hat to you, a fellow European who I gather has over sixteen years' experience with the English language.

[ShadowMan]

Stick to your guns, I've never been to any kind of mechanics school and this car has taught me everything I need to know. Most people on here learned the same way I'm sure. As you go thru it you'll know ur car inside and out, if it farts you'll know why. I rebuilt the motor from the ground up a little bit ago armed with an FSM and my tools Ive acquired over time as well as some new ones I had to buy and she is still runnin. Most things are cheap or free if you take the time to read and post smartly on here. Pick n pull junkyards are a great start. A wiring harness, thats easy, when you get a new premade one, unclip one connector from the old and clip the same one connector from the new one on, one at a time and by the end you will see its not that bad. Some auto parts stores will rent you tools, put a deposit down use the tool, bring it back, get most or all your money back. There is light at the end of the tunnel if when you fix ur problems, you do it right unlike the guy you bought it from. You already said when its running its fast as shit, so there is something there, you just need to coax it out. Its a typical 80%er car, someone did the obvious easy shit and got it almost done, then came the difficult stuff, actually being a mechanic and figuring the problems out, and he sold it to you instead. Its not a time machine or a rocket, its just a car. Download an fsm, figure out what ur next problem to tackle is and study that section. It'll be your best tool. And try and drive quietly if ya can, I think silencers for mufflers are like 50 bucks new. Good luck.

[Butcher240sx]

I would give up on this basket case unless you have deep pockets. If you want a 240 go find a clean shell and transfer over the engine and brakes. If you can't do the work yourself sell the coil overs and pay a shop. Search for a local 240 club, as most 240 people here in Houston are more than willing to help with wrench time. You may find its the same where you live. And don't let anyone uner 25 years old touch your car.

[youcancallmedrew]

Originally Posted by leonardsigne

it's not like the fusebox comes apart or anything

COOL PHOTOS BRO

[steve shadows]

Originally Posted by KOUKIboy

Sounds like you bought someone's UNFINISHED project, which is never a good idea because you don't know what people have done to the car, the homemade car stereo wire up etc.. My advise is part the car out, get most of your money back, the car has good parts, SR, Tein Coils, Kouki tail lights, Z32 brakes, or stick with it, you've already spent all this time and money on it, there's some members on here who specialize on electrical, contact them and see if they can help you out with all the wiring that needs to be cleaned up... Good luck....

Biggest issue I have seen lately too. Try where I can but some of the cars people try to bring in for tuning...whew...not sure the person who touched it before was trying to make it faster or break it on purpose sometimes.

I think in your specific case selling this one and picking up something else until you can get into a better spot in life is the way to go.

Good luck!

[BGeezy]

Keep the car, that motor alone is worth over 2 grand

[youcancallmedrew]

Hey guys. Don't know if anybody's still following, but I'm rather mechanically inclined (though not even remotely close to skilled/trained), and did some poking around under the hood etc. While my clutch master cylinder is leaking a little bit (not a lot), the shifting problem is definitely either the pilot or throwout bearing.

I know this is a LOTTTT to ask, but since the car is technically driveable once started in first, would anybody have the time/equipment/inclination to help me drop the tranny? I'd happily pay you.

And if anybody knows the optimal engine speed to be shifting with little or "no" clutch disengagement so as to minimize grinding, I'd appreciate that.

[mxexux]

^^which ever speed you can rev match the best...

[ShadowMan]

You can technically shift without depressing the clutch pedal at all. I know I'll probably catch some shit for posting this but I dont really care, Ive been in ur situation before and had to do the same thing. Right around 3,000 rpms, give or take a hundred rpms or so, the synchro's should be lined up momentarily, but dont just jam it in the next gear, its a fluid motion with a slight pause going into the next gear. It takes some finess but its possible.

[R@ddy]

i'd say the smartest, best idea is to part it out. motor alone and some extra cash might get you a cheap ass, reliable civic. (not trying to be funny)

[OutlawLui]

Better to start with a fresh unmolested car



Part it out and get a stock one and work on it slowly

[ShadowMan]

Nothing risked, nothing gained. If you can make it to Camp Pendleton, I will help you. I have everything needed to remove the tranny, except beer, so that will be all that I require, you can keep ur money.